Barataria man charged with murder

A 25-year-old man of Sawmill Avenue, Barataria was yesterday charged with the murder of Diego Martin father of two, Carlos Phillip. The man was held during an island-wide exercise on Thursday by officers of the North Eastern Division. Acting Sgt Ajith Persad of the Chaguanas CID laid the charge of murder yesterday against the labourer. He is the second person to be charged with Phillip’s murder, as a 28-year-old mother of two had already been charged. Phillip’s body was discovered nude in a caiman-infested pond at Longdenville on Christmas Day last year.

Phillip, 37, left his La Puerta home in Diego Martin, telling his wife, bank employee Lisa Stoute, that he would return home to help her fix up the house for Christmas. When he failed to return home, a report was made to the Four Roads Police Station. Extensive investigations were carried out by Central Division and homicide officers which led to the recovery of Phillip’s burnt-out car. The accused will appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate on Monday, and the matter will then be transferred to the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court.